Cheesy Taco Tortellini Skillet
Cheesy Taco Tortellini Skillet
If you’re looking for an easy, cheesy, and ultra-comforting dinner that comes together in under 20 minutes, this Cheesy Taco Tortellini Skillet is going to be your new favorite. It’s loaded with tender cheese tortellini, hearty taco-seasoned ground beef, and gooey melted Colby Jack cheese for the ultimate skillet meal. Plus, it uses minimal ingredients, is super kid-friendly, and can be easily adjusted to your taste!
And be sure to check out these other tasty taco-inspired recipes while you are here!
Crockpot Taco Hashbrown Casserole
Arroz Con Pollo (Cheesy Chicken and Rice)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in less than 20 minutes – perfect for busy weeknights
- Uses simple, pantry-friendly ingredients
- Combines the flavors of tacos with cheesy pasta for a fun twist
- Great for meal prep and reheats well
- Completely customizable – switch up the seasoning, protein, or tortellini type
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef – I use an 80/20 blend for flavor, but any will work
- 1 small onion, diced – yellow or white
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste – adds a rich tomato flavor
- 1 packet taco seasoning (approximate) – use your favorite brand or homemade blend
- 1 (19-ounce) can mild red enchilada sauce
- 1 can Rotel, drained – I used original, but you can use mild or hot
- 1 (19-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini – you can substitute with refrigerated or dry tortellini; if using dry, consider cooking it separately and stirring it in
- 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded – melts perfectly for a cheesy top layer
- Optional garnishes: sliced green onions, sour cream, hot sauce
Instructions
First, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound of ground beef and 1 diced onion. Cook, breaking up the meat, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Next, carefully drain off any excess grease from the skillet. Then, stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and let it cook down for a couple of minutes. This gives the dish a deeper, richer flavor.
After that, sprinkle in your taco seasoning and pour in the 19-ounce can of enchilada sauce along with the drained can of Rotel. Stir everything together really well until fully combined.
Now, stir in your frozen cheese tortellini. Mix it up to coat all the pasta in that delicious taco sauce. Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to low-medium. Let it cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the tortellini doesn’t stick to the bottom. Cook until the tortellini is hot and tender.
Lastly
Once the tortellini is cooked through, sprinkle the entire skillet with your shredded Colby Jack cheese. Place the lid back on for a couple minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Finally, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve with sour cream and hot sauce if desired. Dig in and enjoy your Cheesy Taco Tortellini Skillet!
This cheesy taco tortellini skillet is hearty enough to stand on its own, but it would also pair well with corn on the cob, garlic bread or a simple side salad!
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Cheesy Taco Tortellini Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 packet Taco Seasoning
- 19 oz Can of Red Enchilada Sauce
- 10 oz Can of Rotel, drained
- 19 oz Bag of Frozen Cheese Tortellini
- 8 oz Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef with diced onion until cooked. Drain the excess grease.
- Stir in tomato paste; cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, and drained Rotel; stir to combine.
- Stir in frozen cheese tortellini. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tortellini is heated through.
- Top with shredded Colby Jack cheese. Cover until melted.Garnish with green onions if desired.
Notes
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Microwave individual portions until hot, or reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen it back up.
made this exactly as written and it was a hit! I would make it again.
So happy to hear that Christine! Thank you!
You don’t mention how much taco seasoning. I’m assuming 1 packet or 1/4 cup.
It is one packet! So sorry about that. I have corrected the recipe card. Thank you for brining it to my attention!
My family doesn’t like Rotel. What might be a good sub?
You can honestly just leave it out! 🙂
You could just use a can of diced tomatoes that’s what I do rotel is to spicy for me.
I tried this tonight but made it more of a soup, it’s wonderful!!! I will make this again! Topped with mild cheddar and some sour cream! It’s dinner time!
Oh I love the idea of it as a soup! I bet that was really good! Thank you for the nice review and suggestion!
This was SOOOO easy to make and quick. This was very tasty. Glad I saw this on social media…oh and I used ground chicken from Publix.
Is it 10oz of red enchilada sauce? Or is 19oz correct? I don’t see a 19oz can, but can obviously just add 2 10oz cans!
I used a 19 oz can. I find them at Walmart. But you can cut it down to 10, or as you said use 2 cans! Thanks for your question!